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Cork’s win equals Mayo’s 74 year-old feat

I haven’t all that much to say about yesterday’s league final, which we watched on TG4 from here in Mayo. Anguished howls emanating from my little Dub ricocheted around the ancestral home for a few minutes after the final whistle sounded but as soon as the jelly and ice cream appeared, all was well with the world again.

The result certainly takes the shine of Dublin’s sparkling spring campaign and they must now head into the summer with all manner of doubts ringing around in their heads. We know all too well what it’s like to be labelled as perennial chokers and the sad truth is that until they win a game that counts, it’s the first catcall they’ll hear being hurled at them. Welcome to the club, lads.

Cork’s win yesterday wasn’t just noteworthy for the fact that it involved the overturning of an eight-point deficit (when did that last occur in a league or championship final, I wonder?) as it also enabled the Langers to equal an achievement that, up ’till yesterday, was ours alone.

The last (and only previous) county to win the NFL, the All-Ireland and then the NFL again was us back in 1936-7 and, of course, no county has ever won an NFL-Championship Double-Double in successive years. Not even Kerry. Which is one more reason why the Cork-Kerry sub-plot to dish ear’s championship could prove even more compelling than ever.

On the League final – I don’t think you can label Dublin as complete losers. They didn’t collapse – a 1 point loss is not a 9,10 or 20 points loss. Yes they lost by a point – but it was more through naeivity and bad luck that cost them.

Overall losing Bernard Brogan cost them the match. While he was on the park Cork were no match for Dublin. His injury and Nowl O’Learys monster point was when the game fundamentlally changed in Corks favour.

However these also didn’t decide the outcome – Mossy Quinns 2 missed frees at the end of the game also had a major bearing. The first one was terrible and Cluxton should have been called up to take the second one. Of course I’m saying this with the benefit of hindsight.

Dublin losing this game thogh does not mean they are a spent force now. I would say most teams will fear Dublin going into Croker against them.
The biggest thing the opposition have in their favour is that Dublin seem to have reached a peak in terms of overall fitness. Now they have to stay at that level until (until – well ideally September).
Most of the other serious pretenders to the crown have not yet reached their level.

Way I see Dublin is they are like a horse that’s way out in the front of the grand national. But they are after hitting the 1/2 way fence really brutally and the chasing bunch are now bearing down hard on them.